Chronicles of a Space Mercenary 3: Vengeance (11 page)

“She may have a point.” Harknon said.

“It won’t be these bodies exactly.” I said. “They will require some modification.”

“Like hell.” Tanya said. “The only other body I’m climbing into is my Alartaw body and when I get into that I’m staying.”

“You told me you got past Level One.” I said with a sly smile, and giving Tanya pause.

“I did say that and I did it as well, but it was a fluke and I’ll never understand to this day how I got away with it.” Tanya replied. “Just what is it you hope to steal from the Kievor?”

“Their data-base.” I said.

“I think we’ve been down this road.” Tanya said.

“This isn’t a half-baked spur of the moment plan.” I said. “Believe it or not this is Bren’s idea- in a way. He says that if we can steal their programming code that we can build weapons that will completely nullify their defenses.”

“Really!” Tanya said. “When did he tell you all this?”

“That would have been… ah… a hundred and one years ago.” I said as I slowly did the math. “I didn’t like the idea at the time but it has its merits now.”

“Bullshit.” Tanya said.

“It’s true. We did discuss it a hundred and one years ago- if that’s how long it’s been.” Bren said three minutes later. The time it took us to find him and for Tanya to explain and demand an answer. “You see we do not believe the Kievor are innovators. We believe that they somehow stole their technology and that they aren’t
capable
of innovation. They’re using the same exact technology they were using a hundred years ago. The same technology they were using two hundred years ago- and maybe even much longer than that! It was my and other notable scientist’s postulation that if we could get our hands on their base programming code we would find a way to nullify their present defenses and then the Kievor would have to design new systems in a new technological race with the Alartaw. We believe the Kievor exterminate all innovative races for that reason. Alartaw technology has advanced in many ways even though they are at war and as a race they are nearing extinction, but the Kievor are still using the same exact everything. I’ve seen all the readings myself and they’re the same now as they were a hundred years ago when I first postulated this theory.”

“It seems to be working for them.” Tanya said.

“That’s not the point.” Bren said. “The point is that I don’t believe they’re innovators at all and if we could get their data-base we could win this war.”

“Bullshit.” Tanya said as she stormed off, not sure how they had gotten their story together so quickly without her noticing but not believing for a moment.

One thing I was sure she believed however was the fact that I was going back to a Kievor Trade Station and if I knew Tanya even an iota she would be coming with me. That’s why she was pissed.

“The human race is next.” Bren told me after Tanya had gone. “The Kievor may not be innovators but they are meticulous. Once the Alartaw are eliminated the human race will be next. We are far too creative for our own good, just like the Alartaw.”

“Just like the Alartaw
were
.” Commander Harknon said with a clear look. “Our oldest and best minds are gone. We are innovators no more.”

Chapter 25

“Let’s just assume these altered bodies can get us past a casual scan- though I have my doubts. Then say you can whip together some fancy devices to get us past Kievor internal security and even further into the very heart of the Station itself- and I really have my doubts here.” Tanya spoke slowly, as if explaining this to idiots- or at least one idiot- as the six of us gathered aboard Last Chance to discuss options. The more she had thought about it the less she liked it but the alternative was to run forever and that was worse. The Alartaw were as technologically advanced as the Kievor but with the few ships remaining to them the only thing that had changed was their accommodations. They would still have to run. “What then? How are you going to steal the Kievor’s data-base? Does anyone even know what kind of computer system they use?”

“Of course.” Bren said. “It’s similar in nature to the Alartaw system. Based on the cell structure- simultaneous information flowing at all times. Even our super-computers are based on the same system.”

“Bullshit.” Tanya said. “If you knew their base operating code you wouldn’t need me to go steal that very information. Are
you
coming along?”

“Bren would be a liability on such a mission and you know that.” I said. “In any case, the Alartaw need him here.
I need him here. Bren is to remain out of combat. This ship is to remain out of combat. Without Bren we’re out of the technological race.

“The other thing I might mention,” I added, “is that now the Kievor will understand the human threat. Bren has awakened them to that. I think the human race needs to be warned… and armed.”

Tanya looked me right in the eye to gauge my meaning, if I would truly use the human race as a shield- though that wasn’t really the way I saw it- and after only a moment saw what she was looking for. “Warned and armed… with Alartaw technology.” She smiled what I think was the most genuine smile of warmth I had ever seen. “Your depravity knows no depths whatsoever. I’m not fond of the human race in any case. Do whatever you have to do…
Emperor
.”

“The human race needs to be warned of this danger. Those are my only intentions.” I said then added for the ever watchful ship's AI. “See that it's done. See that it's done surreptitiously.”

“Your wish is my command.” The neutral voice of the ship's AI informed. With my link it would be that easy- my wish being the command- but I would just have to do without it for a little while longer. Do without it for a little while longer or do without it forever. Those were my options.

“For once I agree with Marc.” Manuel said. “At least about the warning humanity part.”

“I agree that the human race deserves to be given this technology- and full forewarning of what having this technology will mean to the Kievor,” Janice said, “but I have known you far too long to believe your bullshit. I do agree the human race will be next especially after Bren’s very successful modification of the Alartaw’s existing technology, but otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to follow you on this one.”

“I won’t forget that tractor beam when I was expecting to die.” Melanie said. “The human race has to be given this technology. It wasn’t you they wanted back… it was Bren.”

“All the more reason to leave Bren out of this,” I said, “but how many of the rest of you are in?”

“In for what?” Manuel demanded. “They know us so you mean to have us changed as you were once changed? Is that what I’m hearing!”

“That’s what you’re hearing.” Tanya said.

“Well not into Alartaw of course.” I said.

“What did you have in mind?” Tanya sneered. “Maybe we could be Druellas.”

“Not quite.” I said. “I was thinking of something with faster reflexes and native weaponry.”

“You are not thinking what I think you’re thinking!” Tanya said.

“Exactly!” I said. “They would never expect lizards. So who’s on-board?”

“I’m on-board.” Melanie said immediately. “I need to get off this ship for a while and any excuse will do.”

Chapter 26

I watched the idea gain acceptance in Tanya’s mind as if there was an approval-meter attached to the side of her head displaying it. She was the last one I had to convince when usually she was the first to jump into any nonsense I might suggest. She was studying the bio-metric charts and reflex times of the quickest reptiles with which we were familiar- when to come as an unknown race would draw unnecessary attention. It was shortly after she began studying the reaction times of these reptiles- the time it takes the nervous system to carry the brain’s thoughts as electrical signals to the body- that I saw the approval needle begin to climb into the positive. “I’ve never studied this before.” Tanya said after only a short time. “I never wanted to know how much faster they were- if knowing how much faster they were would eat away my confidence. Kind of makes me wonder how I’ve survived this long.”

“It’s the mind behind it.” I said. “We’ll all have to be the same race and I need you with me
on this so I’m leaving this decision up to you.”

“How thoughtful of you. Have you ever seen this one before?” Tanya asked as she brought
up the image on the main screen. We were on the Bridge of Last Chance going through the data-base of the
human
-
space
local variety of reptiles. The Alartaw had no record of the local variety and I didn’t have my implant which would have given me a mental stream of whatever I wished to view even to as far as instantaneously hacking it right out of Last Chance’s
antiquated
system. The mechanism by which the implant worked was through direct mental communication with the ship’s AI and meant access to all data and control of all functions of my ship- and there were a great many- as well as control of every ship under my Command and instant communication with any of my subordinates. With my implant I could manipulate anything upon my ship including the trans-metal with the thought being the command. I had flown against the Kievor more times than I could now count with my implant as my only navigational tool and with that instantaneous mode of communication with my ship I had been as successful a pilot with the Alartaw as I had always been- until the fateful end of course. The Kievor were no novices in the art of war and no Alartaw’s luck could last forever. I had pushed mine regularly and the only surprise was how I had lasted so long. With my memories returned I felt bereft without my link and putting off being reunited with it was a measure of how important I now thought this was; imagine the Alartaw gone, the human race gone, everything you ever knew gone to the treacherous leaf-eaters, nowhere to go, nothing left but to run and you begin to get a picture of the dilemma I was facing. To do nothing was to die the slow death of waiting- waiting for the knock in the night. Tanya brought up the image of a reptile I thought I had seen once, but wasn’t sure.

“Not sure.” I said.

“They’re not common and probably a good thing.” Tanya said. “They have a specialized nervous system. It’s quite unique.”

“Is it quite fast?” I asked.

“Very.” Tanya said.

“They look intelligent.” I said though now I was feeling my own first hint of trepidation. It was green to start with. This was a short-jawed variety but had the mouth full of razor teeth of course, secondary images showing just how far that mouth could be opened. This race also had retractable claws, yellow eyes and most notable I read in the description was its extremely venomous nature. Its claws were venomous and its saliva highly toxic to most left-hand amino races. All reptiles came with native weaponry but this was a walking nightmare. It was of the variety which had evolved in trees and walked upright though the picture really didn’t tell the story. I relied most on impression and body language which couldn’t be seen in a still.

“They’re very intelligent.” Tanya said. “Quite attractive too don’t you think?”

“I suppose that means it’s settled.” I said slowly, noting also that our data-base contained the digital dna record of the race- there would be no getting out of it. “I don’t find them attractive at all but I’m not planning to spend the rest of my life wrapped in a lizard’s skin- at least not one which hasn’t been cured.”

“If we’re going,” Tanya said, “this is what we’re going as.”

It appeared it was settled.

Chapter 27

“Manuel and Janice have changed their minds.” Bren told me later as I tried to drink myself to death with Alartaw
Harcled
. My human system was accepting it just about how I had expected. It burned all the way down and I was a couple drinks in and already feeling no pain. Bren added; “That’s poisonous to the human system.”

“I won’t be a human much longer.” I said, actually relieved they wouldn’t be coming as I’d had more time to ponder just how difficult this endeavor was going to be. I was expecting seat of the pants action the whole way through because as of yet I hadn’t figured out a thing but was just bulling forward with it as I did with most of my plans. Plans were best made up along the way, I had always thought, to be best able to deal with contingencies as they arose. Contingencies were always arising in my life and the best plan was simply to bluff your way through to the next good hand- and then you played that hand to the hilt.

“I’m not sure
what
you’re going to be after all these changes.” Bren said.

“I’ll still be me.” I said as Tanya entered the Officer
’s Club where I fully meant to make a spectacle of myself before the night was out. It wouldn’t be the first but it would be the last- at least as a human for a while- and I meant to do it right. If I drank myself to death they could just toss me in the doc for my procedure a little early. Those were my standing orders, in any case, and I meant to see if it was possible. The wonders of modern technology could be corrupted in many delightful ways.

“I wonder if you noticed
how your personality changed after your memories were restored.” Bren said as Tanya walked up just in time to hear what he said.